Balsa or life-boat



(No Model.)

D. AMMEN.

BALSA UR LIFE BOAT.

No. 404,150. Patented May 28, 1889.

N. FETERS. Fhalo-Lnlmgnphor. wa hingfion. a, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()F ICE.

DANIEL AMMEN, OF AMMENDALE, MARYLAND.

BALSA OR LIFE-BOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 404,150, dated May 28,1889. Application filed October 2, 1888. Serial No. 286,942. No model.)

To aZZ whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL AMMEN, rear admiral United States Navy,retired, residing at Ammendale, in the county of Prince Georges andState of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBalsas or Life-Boats, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to life-boats or balsas.

The invention consists in the improved construction of the floatsconstituting the balsa and the manner of connecting and bracing thesame.

Figure 1 is a plan of the balsa, showing grated deck, one of the floatsbeing shown partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of same onreduced scale. Fig. 3 is a plan of one of the end sections of the float.Fig. tis a horizontal section near the top of body portion E of a float.Fig. 5 is a central crosssection of float.

The balsa consists of two floats, A A, connected by binders B B andprovided with an open-work or slatted deck, (J.

The present improvement relates, mainly, to the floats. These floatsconsist of sections 1 2 3, preferably three in number; but a greaternumber may be provided. The sections are preferably made frompapier-mach or compressed paper and molded to shape, (either as a wholeor in parts but the sections may be metal. The section 2 (illustrated inFig. 5) is composed of a body and a cover. The body E is aboutsemicircular, tapering slightly toward the ends and having side flanges,F, turned out along its upper edge. It has also, by preference, aninternal longitudinal rib or keelson, G, extending from end to end. Thisrib may be molded or struck up of the same material as the body, or itmay be added after the body is shaped. A strip of tough wood may beinclosed in a groove to form the keelson of a paper body. The cover H isflatter than the body E, but corresponds thereto at the edges, and hasflanges I, which flanges register with flanges F and may be bolted orriveted thereto, the joint being made Watertight with cement or packing.

The cover H of the float may be strengthened by ribs K, preferably ofbent wood. These ribs extend down inside the bodyE far enough to afforda firm bracing. If desirable, upright braces may extend from the keelsonto the ribs, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 5. The ends of thesections may have either inturned flanges, as indicated at m, or anentire partition, as at n. In the latter case these partitions willserve as bulk-heads to divide the float into water-tight compartments.The sections 1 2 3 are secured together lengthwise by bolts or rivetspassing through the inturned flanges, as shown at the broken section,Fig. 1, and in Fig. 4. Where one section has a partition, n, theadjacent section only needs a flange, m, to form compartments when thetwo are joined. The end sections, 1 and 3, will be closed, as by heads P1, riveted into place; or the heads may be integral. The sections 1 and3 are duplicates. Each section will preferably have a man-hole, throughwhich access can be had to the interior of the float, and it is intendedthat each balsa shall always carry a supply of provisions and waterstored within the floats. The man-holes of the end sections will bewithin reach from the deck.

It is not essential that the central section shall taper toward theends, as the sides may be parallel, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig.4, and in such case each float may be composed of two tapering-endsections and as many intervening sections as desired. The balsa Willmove much more easily through water, however, if the floats are builtthroughout on curved lines.

The side flanges of the floats, besides affording a convenient means offastening, will give great stiffness to the floats. The flanges may alsoafford a means for attaching tie-rods to hold the floats together.

The balsa should be provided with life-preserving nets, lines, &c., andmay have alight detachable mast and sail.

The two floats are held together by the crossbraces B, which maybe asnumerous as found desirable, and attached to the floats directly or toribs on the same. These braces preferably overhang the floats at thesides and serve as fenders.

The deck-strips C, preferably of light tough wood, are attached to thebraces B by rivets or otherwise.

The balsa is of such form that it may be easily slid along the deck of avessel, and when afloat it cannot be overturned by a heavy sea.

\Vhat I claim is 1. The life-raft or balsa consisting, essentially, oftwo molded floats, each float composed of sections held together andstifliened by longitudinal flanges, the floats being connected bybinders which support the dock, all combined substantially as described.

2. A float for a raft or balsa, consisting of molded sections, saidsections having longitudinal flanges by which the parts are joined andstiii'ened, the Whole forming a closed 011211111 ber impervious toWater, substantially as'described.

3. The float-section described,.consisting of a molded body portionhaving longitudinal. side flanges and the molded cover portion havingeorrespondin side flanges, the flanges being secured together to make atight joint,

and ribs Which extend transversely inside said cover, substantially asset forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

V DANL. AMMEN. Vitnesses:

PHILIP MAURO, W. A. l'iARTLETT.

